Comments by Louisville A.D. Jurick at luncheon yesterday

[cygnus34]

as the guest speaker. A few of his comments were shockingly blunt and surprising.

1. He acknowledged and apologized for the Krag hiring. He finished his statements about Krag as a "mixed blessing.....it allowed us to hire Coach Strong."

2. Coach Strong has a work ethic that parallels Pitino or exceeds him. He asked Strong to considered slowing down as not to fall into a one or two year burn-out situation. Jurich says he lives at the office, on the road, and on the field.

3. Jurich thinks we will be competitive next year, but young and not deep. He tempered any high expectations saying you willl see a solid group that competes, but will struggle at times. He said Strongs recruiting will show immediately and take hold after this year.

4. He stated twice during the speech that the O-line and Running game will carry the team.......he said they are a very solid group and will move the ball.

5. Jurich said as a matter of fact that the Big Ten is seeking expansion. Their number one target is Notre Dame, followed by Pitt and Rutgers....."I've gone on the offensive, and we are trying to get out in front of this thing.....we will look to Florida and possibly CUSA for replacements."

6. Thinks a playoff in football is possible, but wants to see bowl games stay with a playoff model.

7. Stadium expansion has sold 8500 new tickets.......about a 150 tickets a day are being sold leading up to the spring game. The ENTIRE upperdeck was built revenue neutral......saying he wanted to price the ticktets so everyone in the community can have a chance at buying season tickets. The suites alone are paying for the expansion, including the upper deck.

8. Strongs influence on the team as a whole has been amazing, and felt immediately. Players who live off campus are being forced back to dorms because of GRADE point averages......some are very upset, but are accepting the order. Players must maintain a specific grade point average to move off campus. Those who are not meeting a certain standard are paying the price in pre-dawn drills.

9. Arena builders also built the staples center...stated Louisvilles' arena is the best design they have worked on to date.

10. With a smirk and smile, "Duke will not play us in the opener.........this first game has been a challenge to fill."

11. Coach McDonnell is one of the highest paid coaches in College baseball......he has turned down Florida, Auburn, Miss st, and one other SEC team that I forget.

12. He hates the one and done BB athletes....they kill your grade point average required by the ncaa. He says most one and done players go to school the first semester, and then never set foot in the classroom during the second semester. He quoted the "right to work suit threatened by the NBA players union".....as the reason this can't be changed.

[Atlanta Bull]

So it sounds like the BE is looking at UCF, Memphis and ECU as all sports members to make up for the lost teams. Not sure BE can keep BCS status with those teams.

[Goldenbuc]

So it sounds like the BE is looking at UCF, Memphis and ECU as all sports members to make up for the lost teams. Not sure BE can keep BCS status with those teams.

No it won't...not unless it gets completey pummled.  One or even two teams gone will keep it in tact.  The ACC isn't expanding, either...so you can put that pipe dream down...we have the same one and honestly think we would have just as equal of a shot as you.

[usf97]

So it sounds like the BE is looking at UCF, Memphis and ECU as all sports members to make up for the lost teams. Not sure BE can keep BCS status with those teams.

We would still have West Virginia but that would only be our only real name program. I think what will probably happen is you will see the Mountain West expand and maybe add Boise State, then the Mountain West would get inclusion into the BCS. If the Pac-10 expands by 2 and the MWC end up losing two, the 2 conferences (Big East and MWC) would be comparable. Sounds like we are resigned to our fate.

[smazza]

if big east gets raided

they will lose bcs slot anyway

ftu/ou/oc will never be in a bcs conference

usf made a big mistake dropping these guys from schedule

[cygnus34]

ftu/ou/oc

Who are these schools SMAZZA?

[The Great 8]

ftu/ou/oc

Who are these schools SMAZZA?

UCF. FTU is it's original name. I believe the others (Orlando University, Orlando College) were the other possibilities.

1963—Bill 125 passes to create university

1966—University named Florida Technological University (FTU)

1978—Trevor Colbourn becomes second president and FTU becomes UCF

http://www.ucf.edu/40Anniversary/